By DARYLL NANAYAKARA

CONTRACT work is the way to go for those looking for employment in sectors such as banking, engineering and food-and-beverage.

Firms in these industries are more likely to offer short-term contract positions, especially during industry peak periods and the current economic crisis, said Mr David Ang, the executive director of the Singapore Human Resources Institute.

As for the service sector, he said hotels and restaurants will recruit more waiters when there is seasonal demand, such as when there are more weddings and company dinners.

Banking and financing firms will need more auditors during their periodic auditing exercises, while logistics and engineering companies will require more welders and construction workers when they secure more contracts.

"Every industry has a peak period.

It can be a simple task, where you may need more dispatch riders on an ad hoc basis," he explained.

Last week, my paper reported on Web-poll findings by global recruitment consultancy Robert Walters, which showed that only one third of 700 respondents in Singapore would be "happy to take on a contract role".

Comparatively, their counterparts in the region aremore willing to take up such work - as high as 63 per cent of respondents in New Zealand and 59 per cent in Australia.

Still, half the Singapore respondents said they had no qualms about taking on contract work if there were no permanent positions available.

Ms Andrea Ross, managing director of Robert Walters Singapore, said such contract positions had mutual benefits for both the organisation and the job candidate.

She said that "employers can turn to temporary recruitment in tougher economic conditions as a means of controlling headcount costs and maintaining productivity".

Mr Ang said: "Even though such contract jobs are unstable, they may offer better cash in hand because there is no need for Central Provident Fund contributions and things such as medical benefits."

Contract workers my paper spoke to said that temporary employment is a viable option when it comes to acquiring relevant work experience while earning some cash.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate Muhammad Siraj cited the flexible hours as a bonus. The 20-year-old graduated in February with a diploma in mass communication and promptly found a temporary stint.

He was part of a small team involved in a three-month project to produce a promotional video for the polytechnic's graduation ceremony next month.

"It's very flexible. You get work experience and a chance to build your portfolio while you're at it," he said.

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